Rajkiran Arhestey

Kiran has experience acting for both Claimants and Defendants in a range of clinical negligence matters. While seconded to a partner at a leading Claimant clinical negligence firm for a year, she gained significant experience in high value claims, particularly brain injury.

She has significant experience as sole counsel, frequently conducting conferences with experts and clients, and preparing pleadings as well as appearing in CCMCs, approval hearings and application hearings. She also has expertise in quantum in high value cases such as wrongful birth or brain injuries, having acted as a junior to several silks in chambers.

Kiran edits the Quarterly Medical Law Review and therefore has an excellent knowledge of recent developments in the case law.

Kiran has been ranked by both leading legal directories in Clinical Negligence:

• “Undoubtedly one to watch and heading for a stratospheric career despite her low-key manner.”
• “She has an impressive ability to analyse case issues and she is a robust advocate in thorny cases.”
• “She is great with clients, and puts both clients and experts at ease.”
• “She is bright, thorough and impressive.”
• “She was very thoughtful, very sympathetic with the client and she is very accessible.”
• “Rajkiran consistently provides an exemplary standard of service, and is one of the best up-and-coming barristers on the scene.”
• “Rajkiran is personable and approachable.  She is great with clients and her work and advocacy is thorough and excellent.”
• “She is thorough, approachable and is great with clients.”
• “Kiran is definitely a rising star in the area. For her year of call her level of expertise is definitely very strong.”
•  “A thorough and detail-orientated junior.”

Selected Cases

• Secured a settlement of £900,000 for a Claimant who suffered bowel issues following a hysterectomy; it was alleged that the consent process was inadequate.
• Instructed by a Claimant in a complex claim concerning a misdiagnosis of vasculitis as cancer leading to unnecessary surgery and death; the claim settled for £135,000.
• Secured a settlement of £100,000 for a Claimant; there was a delay in diagnosis of his retinal detachment leading to loss of sight in one eye, however his employment was unaffected and he had no care needs.
• Instructed in an ongoing claim for damages following a late diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome in which there are difficult issues of causation of the Claimant’s injuries.
• Instructed in a complex ongoing claim for a Claimant concerning a delay in diagnosis of deafness in a baby; the causation of the delay and its impact on the child’s development is contested.
• Led by Angus McCullough KC and secured a multi-million pound settlement for a Claimant in a case arising out of a delay in treatment of herpes simplex virus, leading to a catastrophic brain injury in a father of two.
• Acted for a Defendant in an RTM and successfully settled a case concerning alleged inadequate consent for hip surgery and alleged failures in conduct of the surgery.

Kiran has significant experience in public law and judicial review, acting for claimants, defendants and interested parties. In particular, she has acted in a number of recent judicial reviews on parliamentary privilege raising constitutional issues. She is a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel.

Selected Cases

• Instructed by the Claimant and led by Angus McCullough KC and Shu Shin Luh in a judicial review concerning the SSHD’s duties to make reasonable adjustments for those subject to deportation and in immigration detention with disabilities.
• ABW v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2025] EWHC 3280 (Admin) – lead case on the legality of the SSHD’s Public Order Disqualification policy applicable to potential victims of trafficking. Currently on appeal to the Court of Appeal, Kiran is led by Alan Payne KC and Sian Reeves for SSHD. A previous reported judgment gives guidance on the respective jurisdictions of the Upper Tribunal and the High Court – ABW v SSHD [2025] WLR 1685.
• R (Martin & Ors) v Chancellor of the Exchequer & Anor [2026] EWHC 1123 (Admin) – instructed by the Speaker of the House of Commons and led by David Manknell KC in a challenge to the Government’s consultation process which led to reforms to inheritance tax relief which particularly affected farmers. The Divisional Court accepted the Speaker’s submissions on parliamentary privilege, refusing permission on non-justiciability grounds.
• Charity Commission for England and Wales v Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman [2026] EWHC 486 (Admin) - instructed by the Speaker of the House of Commons and led by David Manknell KC in a case concerning the Ombudsman’s findings of maladministration in the Commission’s handling of safeguarding complaints raised by two individuals and the Ombudsman’s subsequent decision to lay special reports relating to both cases before Parliament, pursuant to her powers under s.10(3) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967. Raised issues of interference with proceedings in Parliament.
• ALR & Ors, R (On the Application Of) v Chancellor of the Exchequer [2025] EWHC 1467 (Admin) - instructed by the Speaker of the House of Commons and led by David Manknell KC in the high-profile challenge to the Government’s policy of introducing VAT on private school fees. The Divisional Court devoted a lengthy annex to the issue of Parliamentary privilege including the use of select committee and National Audit Office reports.
• DE v SSHD (2024) - initially sole counsel, then led by David Manknell KC for the SSHD in a claim arising out of a challenge to the previous government’s response to a report of the Home Affairs Select Committee on sex trafficking. The claim was resisted on the basis that the response could not be challenged due to Parliamentary privilege. The Claimant withdrew the claim prior to the permission hearing.
• Sole Counsel for SSHD in a judicial review in the Upper Tribunal (2024) concerning a decision to refuse to grant biometric excuse to two individuals in Afghanistan.
• Shyti v SSHD [2023] EWCA Civ 770 and Ahmed v SSHD [2023] EWCA Civ 1087 - led by Julia Smyth KC in the Court of Appeal in cases concerning decisions to deprive individuals of citizenship on the basis of fraud. The Court heard argument as to the effect of R (Begum) v Special Immigration Appeal Commission [2021] UKSC 7 on appeals to the FTT brought pursuant to s.40A of the British Nationality Act 1981. Following written submissions, the Appellant’s application for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court was refused.
• Led by Angus McCullough KC in judicial review proceedings on behalf of a Claimant challenging a decision by a public body to refuse security clearance which ultimately resolved out of court.

Kiran has significant inquest experience and accepts instructions on behalf of families, Trusts, GPs, government bodies and private companies. She has experience of inquests which engage Article 2 and/or jury inquests as well as inquests concerning prisons, mental health hospitals, medical treatment, and deaths on railways.

She is a co-editor along with Sir Neil Garnham, Caroline Cross and Matthew Hill of the 2^nd edition of the Inquest Book and co-author of the chapter on Article 2 inquests with Peter Skelton KC.

The Legal 500 recognises Kiran as a ‘Leading Junior’ for Inquests and Inquiries.

Selected Cases

• Re PM (ongoing): Acting in an Article 2 inquest for the family of a young woman who took her own life after absconding from hospital immediately following a review by the Psychiatric Liaison Team, and who was not on 1 to 1 observations.
• Re FG (2026): Acted for the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) in an inquest following the death of a pilot on the Humber Estuary.
• Re DH (2026): Acted for the family of DH, a young man with cerebral palsy who died from aspiration pneumonia; the Coroner found that an erroneous reduction in the prescription of epilepsy medication led to an increase in seizures and contributed to the death.
• Re EFD (2026): Acted for an Integrated Care Board (direct access) in an Article 2 jury inquest arising out of the self-inflicted death of a young person detained in hospital.
• Re FR (2025): Represented the family in an inquest arising out of the death of their two-year-old son who died from a bowel condition and in which a number of failings in care were established.
• Re RP (2025): Represented a train company in a 2-week inquest concerning the death of a child on railway tracks.
• Re POR (2025): Represented an occupational health company (direct access) in an inquest arising out of the self-inflicted death of a serving police officer.
• Re SJS (2024): Represented a train company in a 4-day inquest concerning an individual who took his own life by jumping in front of a train.

From 2024 to 2025 Kiran worked with Angus McCullough KC and Matthew Hill on the McCullough Review, an independent review of the conduct of the Police Service of Northern Ireland relating to covert measures against journalists, lawyers and others of ‘special status’ between 2011 and 2024. The substantive report was published in September 2025 but Kiran will remain involved in any follow up work. Further details are available on the Review’s website.

Kiran was instructed on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, as part of the Inquiry team, from 2018, working on the investigation into the performance of the lifts on the night of the fire. She was involved at every stage of the process, carrying out document review, working with the appointed expert, preparing for the hearings and drafting the final report. At the hearings in June 2021, Kiran conducted advocacy, questioning the managing director of the lift manufacturer at Grenfell Tower.

The Legal 500 recognises Kiran as a ‘Leading Junior’ for Inquests and Inquiries.

Kiran has an expertise in tax law, particularly VAT:

• Led in an ongoing appeal for a taxpayer concerning VAT grouping.
• Telamara Ltd v Revenue and Customs [2025] UKFTT 1123 (TC) – Appeared successfully as sole counsel for HMRC in a 2-day hearing finding that nitrous oxide, used for whipping cream, did not fall within the definition of ‘food of a kind used for human consumption’ in Group 1, Schedule 8 of VATA 1994, and therefore was not zero-rated.
• CPGL v HMRC: Led by Laura Inglis in the FtT for HMRC against a specialist tax KC in a complex case concerning recovery of input tax by a holding company – concerns intending trader status as well as the definition of ‘economic activity’. Judgment is awaited.
• Greencyc v HMRC: Led by Natasha Barnes for HMRC in a complex MTIC fraud. The Appellant abandoned the appeal days after receiving HMRC’s skeleton argument.

Kiran accepts instructions on a range of immigration matters.

Selected Cases

• ABW v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2025] EWHC 3280 (Admin) – lead case on the legality of the SSHD’s Public Order Disqualification policy applicable to potential victims of trafficking. Currently on appeal to the Court of Appeal, Kiran is led by Alan Payne KC and Sian Reeves for SSHD. A previous reported judgment gives guidance on the respective jurisdictions of the Upper Tribunal and the High Court – ABW v SSHD [2025] WLR 1685.
• Afghan CG Guidance: Led by Sarabjit Singh KC for SSHD in proceedings in the Upper Tribunal to provide Country Guidance in Afghan cases, particularly on the issue of ‘Westernisation’. Judgment is awaited.
• RA v SSHD: Led by Natasha Barnes in ongoing JR proceedings arising out of a dual national prisoner’s decision to renounce British citizenship and the subsequent refusal by SSHD to reinstate their citizenship.
• Shyti v SSHD [2023] EWCA Civ 770 and Ahmed v SSHD [2023] EWCA Civ 1087 - led by Julia Smyth KC in the Court of Appeal in cases concerning decisions to deprive individuals of citizenship on the basis of fraud. The Court heard argument as to the effect of R (Begum) v Special Immigration Appeal Commission [2021] UKSC 7 on appeals to the FTT brought pursuant to s.40A of the British Nationality Act 1981. Following written submissions, the Appellant’s application for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court was refused.
• Advised and negotiated settlement for the SSHD multiple times on appeals to the Court of Appeal arising out of deprivation of citizenship.
• Sole Counsel for SSHD in a judicial review in the Upper Tribunal concerning a decision to refuse to grant biometric excuse to two individuals in Afghanistan.

Kiran has appeared in a wide range of PI hearings, primarily in the County Court, for both Claimants and Defendants. Kiran is interested in developing her PI practice further.

She has significant experience of quantum in high-value clinical negligence cases, including brain injury cases, which can be transferred to the personal injury context. She also has experience acting for government bodies, having completed a secondment at HMRC in the personal injury department where she regularly advised on liability and quantum. She has also acted for Claimants who have suffered child abuse/sexual abuse through her criminal injuries compensation work (see below).

Kiran is keen to develop her practice in environmental and planning law. Kiran was instructed by the Environmental Law Foundation to represent the Appellant, pro bono, in a complex 4-day planning inquiry. The Appellant sought permission to change the use of a small woodland in a National Park from forestry to a mixed use for field archery, eco-tourism and life-long learning. He was ultimately granted temporary planning permission. The appeal also concerned an Enforcement Notice. More information is here.

She was jointly nominated for Advocate’s Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year Award 2020 for her representation of the Dangstein Conservancy.

Kiran was again instructed by the Environmental Law Foundation with Lucy McCann to represent The Isleworth Society in a 5-day planning inquiry arising out of the Duke of Northumberland’s challenge to London Borough of Hounslow’s decision to refuse him planning permission to build 80 flats on existing allotments. The Council’s decision was upheld, and the planning inspector placed particular weight on the heritage concerns raised solely by The Isleworth Society.

Kiran utilizes her personal injury expertise in liability and quantum to represent survivors of abuse. She has appeared a number of times in appeals against decisions by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (“CICA”), particularly on behalf of victims of rape and sexual abuse.

Selected Cases

• Secured £171,300 on appeal for a young woman who had been raped and was unable to work for the rest of her life. Significant disagreement with CICA over the medical evidence.
• Secured £36,694 on appeal for a young man who had been sexually assaulted and was unable to work for several years.
• Successfully represented an Appellant in her appeal against a decision by the CICA to deny her compensation for being out of time, in circumstances where she had been sexually abused as a child.
• Successfully represented an Appellant in her appeal against a decision by the CICA to refuse compensation on the basis that there was insufficient evidence that a crime of violence had occurred, and failure to co-operate with the police, in circumstances where A had reported the rape to police who had decided not to proceed with a prosecution.

Kiran accepts direct access instruction from lay clients in any of the areas set out above. For further information please visit her profile here.

In particular, she has represented private companies and an Integrated Care Board in inquests on a direct access basis.

Kiran takes a keen interest in writing about the law. She is the founder and Commissioning Editor of the 1COR Quarterly Medical Law Review (QMLR). She is a co-editor along with Sir Neil Garnham, Caroline Cross and Matthew Hill of the 2^nd edition of the Inquest Book and authored the chapter on Article 2 with Peter Skelton KC. She is also co-author with Clodagh Bradley KC of the chapter on ‘The Law’ and with Philip Havers KC and Rachel Marcus of the chapter on ‘Human Rights’ in the latest edition of Powers & Barton’s Clinical Negligence (Sixth Edition). Bloomsbury Professional, 2023.

Kiran spent three months working as a judicial assistant in the Administrative Court in early 2022.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Kiran worked at Southall Black Sisters, the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, the UN World Food Programme in Rome and the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust in Dhaka. She was also the recipient of a prestigious Fulbright scholarship, which allowed her to complete postgraduate study at New York University, as well as Gray’s Inn’s largest scholarship for the Bar Course (the Bedingfield). She has participated in the international finals of the Jessup moot both as a competitor (Oxford, ranked 19^th internationally) and a coach (NYU).

Kiran changed her name from Barhey to Arhestey in 2024.